CVC orders probe into Arvind Kejriwal’s ‘Sheesh Mahal’ over building norm violations

Investigation launched over renovation expenses

Sheesh Mahal controversy: The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) has initiated a thorough investigation into alleged financial irregularities related to the renovation and luxury upgrades at 6 Flagstaff Bungalow, the former residence of ex-Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

The CVC has directed the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) to examine claims that construction norms were violated to develop an extravagant residence, known as ‘Sheesh Mahal’, covering 40,000 square yards (8 acres). The decision to probe the matter was taken on February 13, based on a factual report submitted by the CPWD following a complaint from BJP leader Vijender Gupta.

Allegations of unauthorized construction

Gupta initially raised concerns on October 14, 2024, alleging illegal construction at Kejriwal’s former official residence. His complaint highlighted that government-owned properties, including Plot Nos. 45 and 47 on Rajpur Road—previously occupied by senior officials and judges in Type-V flats—were demolished and merged into the new mansion. He claimed that the construction violated ground coverage and floor area ratio (FAR) norms and was executed without proper approvals.

Following these allegations, the CVC registered the case on October 16 for preliminary examination. A month later, in November 2024, the matter was officially forwarded to the CPWD for further scrutiny, with assurances that appropriate action would be taken based on the findings.

Accusations of misuse of public funds

On October 21, Gupta filed an additional complaint with the Vigilance Commission, this time accusing Kejriwal of misusing public funds for extravagant renovations and luxurious interior decorations. He alleged that the former CM had spent crores of taxpayers’ money on excessive amenities, far exceeding reasonable limits, raising concerns over financial irregularities.

Taking note of these allegations, the CVC acknowledged the seriousness of the matter on November 5. Subsequently, on December 5, the CPWD’s Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO) submitted a factual report based on Gupta’s complaint. This report led the CVC to order a full-scale investigation into the matter.

Controversy over renaming of CMO’s official social media handle

Amid the ongoing investigation, a fresh controversy emerged regarding the renaming of the official Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) handle on X (formerly Twitter). The Delhi government wrote to the platform on Friday, requesting the restoration of the “@CMODelhi” handle, which had allegedly been renamed to “@KejriwalAtWork” under the instructions of AAP leaders.

The move followed the BJP’s request to Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena to intervene. In an email to X, the CMO stated that the verified handle, which had around 9.9 lakh followers, was altered despite the established practice of passing official accounts to successors.

“To prevent further misuse, we request X to restore ‘@CMODelhi’ and provide access credentials to the official government email ID cmdelhi@nic.in,” the letter stated. The government further requested the immediate deactivation of any unauthorized accounts using the same handle.

BJP’s allegations against AAP leaders

The BJP accused AAP leaders of orchestrating the renaming of the official CMO handle. Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva alleged that acting CM Atishi and officials from the IT department were responsible for converting the official government account into a personal one for Kejriwal’s use.

Sachdeva also accused Atishi of misusing her position by holding a press conference where she blamed the BJP for orchestrating power cuts in Delhi.

“She must be prevented from making misleading statements while serving in a caretaker capacity,” Sachdeva stated in a letter addressed to the Lieutenant Governor.

The developments continue to fuel political tensions, with both parties engaged in heated exchanges over governance ethics and financial transparency. The outcome of the CVC’s investigation will be crucial in determining the extent of irregularities in the renovation and expenses related to Kejriwal’s former residence.

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